Chapter 281: Entanglements (1)
[Keep in mind, the duration you can maintain the door depends on your curse power, but as this is a one-time talisman, it won't last very long.]
These were the words of Yeo Su-rin, a diviner from Harmonious Immortal Pavilion.
Although Mok Gyeong-un's curse power had reached a level incomparable to before, there was a limit to how long he could maintain the door with a single-use talisman.
-Wooooo!
Mok Gyeong-un slightly furrowed his brows at the intense demonic cry and looked at the Plundering-killing Sword.
It was said to be the worst demonic sword, and those words didn't seem to be an exaggeration.
'It's quite rebellious.'
As he tried to suppress the demonic cry that was attempting to erode him with its evil energy, it spewed out an even stronger cry, as if provoking a battle of strength.
It made sense now how Joo Woonhyang, who possessed innate true energy, had been corrupted.
At this, Mok Gyeong-un drew out even more evil energy.
Only by completely subduing the sword's will could he make it submit to him like the Evil Commandment Sword.
-Goooooo!
As black haze rose, Mok Gyeong-un gestured with his other hand.
"Please come this way."
At his words, Nine Blood Sect's Sixth Blood Saint Dam Baek-ha and Holy Fire Priestess nodded and were about to move.
However, So Yerin, who had been pushed back by Mok Gyeong-un's counterforce, drew up her energy and shouted,
"I don't know how you're alive or learned such bizarre techniques, but I can't let you take the prisoners from the underground golden prison!"
-Paat!
No sooner had she finished speaking than she flew towards Mok Gyeong-un.
'How annoying.'
As Mok Gyeong-un had to maintain the door with his curse power, he couldn't move properly and had to confront So Yerin's sword head-on as she rushed at him.
-Clang clang clang!
In an instant, their swords clashed about four times.
Rather than using sword energy, So Yerin had aimed at Mok Gyeong-un with concise sword techniques, and her eyes flashed.
It wasn't a mistake after all.
'How did his martial power increase this much?'
Mok Gyeong-un's martial power was not much inferior even compared to her own.
Moreover, he originally had sword talent, so as his power increased, he easily blocked her sword.
Thanks to that, he had become much more difficult to deal with than before.
'I can't subdue him with simple techniques. Then I have no choice but to use sword energy.'
At this, So Yerin properly gripped her sword and unleashed a technique.
Her sword created a trajectory with a fierce momentum, like a tiger pouncing.
'First stance, Tiger Fang Sword Stance!'
-Clang clang clang clang!
In response to her sword energy, Mok Gyeong-un also tried to counter with a complex sword technique.
He had recently created two new sword stances for the Demonic Sword Art and wanted to test them out anyway.
But just as he was about to unfurl the second stance of the Demonic Sword Art,
-Wooooooo!
At that moment, the demonic energy of the Plundering-killing Sword that he had been suppressing with evil energy explosively soared.
It was like immense resentment or anger.
'!?'
Feeling this will of the Plundering-killing Sword, Mok Gyeong-un couldn't hide his bewilderment.
For some reason, the moment Six Offices Commander So Yerin began to unleash her sword energy in earnest, the sword's demonic will became uncontrollable.
He didn't know the reason, but the demonic energy surged so much that Mok Gyeong-un, thinking that forcibly suppressing it might damage the sword itself, decided,
'Alright. Do as you wish.'
He chose to indulge the Plundering-killing Sword's will once.
The moment Mok Gyeong-un loosened his grip on the sword,
-Swish!
The tip of the sword moved on its own, creating a sword path.
As that sword path formed, something flashed through Mok Gyeong-un's mind.
It seemed to be a vision that the Plundering-killing Sword was showing him through its will.
In the vision, the Plundering-killing Sword was being held by someone, facing off against a young man.
However, the sword techniques the young man unleashed were very similar to those used by Six Offices Commander So Yerin.
'Did they clash before?'
It seemed so.
The man confronting the Plundering-killing Sword in the vision displayed truly remarkable swordsmanship, overwhelmingly pushing back his companion, whether it was the Plundering-killing Sword's owner or host.
Here, the Plundering-killing Sword exuded immense demonic energy.
It was clear anger.
'Look at this.'
The corners of Mok Gyeong-un's mouth twitched.
He had thought that no matter how much demonic energy it possessed, it was just a sword, but this was the first time he felt a sword's will expressing anger towards something it had clashed with.
-Wooooong!
At that moment, the sword path created by the Plundering-killing Sword generated wave-like ripples.
Along with it, Six Offices Commander So Yerin, who had been using the Tiger Fang Sword stance, felt the excess in her technique rebound,
-Baaaang!
She was pushed back once again.
-Sssshhhhh!
So Yerin regained her posture and spoke with sharp eyes fixed on Mok Gyeong-un's sword,
"A technique of the Scripture of Transferring True Qi [이기진경(移氣眞經)]… That sword is Plundering-killing Sword."
"You recognize the sword."
"Of course. Among the swords crafted by the famed swordsmith Ou Yezi, that is the most evil and dangerous one. You'd best let go of it at once."
At her warning, Mok Gyeong-un shrugged.
"Well. Is there a reason to let go of a sword that's already in my hands?"
"That sword's demonic energy is incomparable to Ou Yezi's other swords. You could lose yourself."
"I'll find out when I experience it."
"You really do as you please."
Contrary to her words, So Yerin was inwardly perplexed.
With the exception of one person, she remembered that everyone who grasped that sword was unfailingly corrupted by the demonic energy and went mad.
However, Mok Gyeong-un's current state still seemed sound.
Was that somber and vicious energy preventing him from being eroded by the demonic will?
Whatever the case, if he hadn't been corrupted yet, she had to make him release the sword.
With this thought, she drew upon more of her innate true energy, intending to properly demonstrate her skill.
But then,
"You called us out, yet how long are you going to be like that?"
Nine Blood Sect's Sixth Blood Saint Dam Baek-ha, who had approached behind Mok Gyeong-un, asked in an irritated tone.
At this, Mok Gyeong-un replied without turning his head,
"You'll be able to come out soon. And I'd appreciate it if you could also take care of your fallen friend over there."
"You mean this brat?"
That fallen friend was none other than Joo Woonhyang.
As Sixth Blood Saint Dam Baek-ha tried to approach the collapsed Joo Woonhyang, Six Offices Commander So Yerin hurriedly shouted,
"Don't touch him!"
At her cry, Dam Baek-ha's lips curved into a smirk.
Dam Baek-ha placed her sharp nails against Joo Woonhyang's neck and said,
"Seems like you have some relationship with this young lad. If so, you'd best step aside at once."
"You!"
Perhaps enraged by the threat, Six Offices Commander So Yerin threw something towards Dam Baek-ha, who was behind Mok Gyeong-un, with lightning-fast hand movements.
-Clang!
Mok Gyeong-un hurriedly blocked it with the Plundering-killing Sword.
-Clink!
The object So Yerin threw was sliced in half and fell to the ground.
-Thud! Thud!
'This is?'
It was none other than iron beads.
But the problem was, it wasn't just one.
-Clang! Clang! Clang!
While Mok Gyeong-un was cutting them, three iron beads flew in simultaneously.
With his excellent vision, Mok Gyeong-un twisted the sword's path to hastily cut one flying iron bead and struck another with his left fist.
-Bang!
However, he couldn't block the remaining one, as it flew in an unexpected trajectory.
-Swish!
'Huh?'
It had bounced off the ground and flown towards Dam Baek-ha's forehead in a bizarre path.
However, Dam Baek-ha was no ordinary expert either.
She caught the flying iron bead with her red-stained hand in a swift motion.
-Pak!
Catching the iron bead, Sixth Blood Saint Dam Baek-ha muttered with narrowed eyes,
"Flicking Divine Skill?"
Flicking Divine Skill.
It was a technique of imbuing objects with martial power and flicking them with fingers.
When martial power was imbued into an object, it became like a hidden weapon. With the hardness of iron beads, it could generate enough force to penetrate a person in a single strike.
However, those who wielded Flicking Divine Skill with iron beads like this were extremely rare even in the martial world.
Dam Baek-ha instinctively thought of someone.
But then,
"Blood Jade Hands!"
The Six Offices Commander So Yerin who had launched the Flicking Divine Skill at her shouted in surprise.
Recognizing Dam Baek-ha's Blood Jade Hands, a gleam flashed in So Yerin's eyes, who seemed to be a high-ranking woman in the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
"You recognize the Blood Jade Hands, young lass. You have good insight."
"Are you the Blood Demon of the Blood Sect?"
At So Yerin's question, Dam Baek-ha gnashed her teeth and said,
"That's right. I am the Blood Demon of the Blood Sect who was imprisoned in the Eternal Hell Prison for so many years by you lot!"
-Sssshhh!
Perhaps her fury surged, as Dam Baek-ha drew out even more martial power.
Then, her hands turned an even deeper shade of red, and a smooth luster flowed out.
"Step aside. I'll deal with that Embroidered Uniform Guard wench myself."
-Paat!
Dam Baek-ha flew forward and shouted at Mok Gyeong-un to move aside.
Mok Gyeong-un, thinking this was perfect, stepped to the side.
While she dealt with the troublesome Six Offices Commander So Yerin, he could get Holy Fire Priestess out.
-Paat! Ssshhh ssshhh!
Sixth Blood Saint Dam Baek-ha, passing through the smoke door, unleashed hand techniques towards Six Offices Commander So Yerin.
'Blood Jade Hands 6th Stance, Blood Jade Shatter!'
Her two hands, dyed crimson, unfurled villainous hand techniques and rushed at So Yerin with the momentum to tear her body apart in an instant.
It was precisely that moment.
So Yerin's sword grip changed, and her momentum shifted.
It was different from the sword techniques she had displayed so far. For a fleeting instant, her sword emitted a vermilion aura and unleashed tremendous killing energy, as if specialized solely in taking lives.
-Clang clang clang clang!
The stance of the Blood Jade Hands and her vermilion sword energy collided, producing a tremendous shattering sound.
It was a tremendous momentum, as if they would finish each other off.
However, that didn't happen.
Halfway through their stances, as if they had conferred with each other, the two women simultaneously withdrew their energy and retreated at the same time.
-Bam!
Putting distance between them, the two spoke simultaneously.
"As expected, you are the Blood Demon."
"Aaaah! Is it really you, of Jin Clan?"
The eyes of the two women, who had spoken to each other like that, reddened at the same time.
Their reactions were as if they had been searching for each other for a long time.
Watching this with bewilderment, Mok Gyeong-un still had to get Holy Fire Priestess to escape, so he gestured to her, who had been unable to do anything due to the fierce battle.
"Come."
"Will it be alright?"
"Yes."
With that, Holy Fire Priestess laboriously led her aged body and arduously tried to walk towards the door.
Mok Gyeong-un also shouldered Joo Woonhyang, who had been lying in front of the smoke door.
-Sssshh sssshh!
The smoke was gradually dissipating.
There was truly no time now.
Right then,
"Officer So!"
Someone's shout was heard from afar.
A person appeared, unleashing lightness skill while gasping for breath as if being chased by something, through one of the underground golden prison's passages.
It was none other than the head of the Fourth Office, Six Offices Commander Im Gyu-weol.
Spotting Six Offices Commander So Yerin through the smoke entrance, Im Gyu-weol's face brightened.
'Hea, heavens have helped.'
As expected, Six Offices Commander So Yerin undoubtedly had a deep connection with him.
He didn't know what that smoke door was, but just seeing her there made it certain that it led outside.
At this, Im Gyu-weol rushed towards them using lightness skill and shouted,
-Paat!
"Six Offices Commander So, help me!"
However, behind him, men with expressionless faces, their entire bodies glinting with a copper hue, were also using lightness skill to chase after him.
-Clang! Clang! Clang!
Each time they leaped, a metallic sound rang out, indicating they weren't ordinary humans.
Seeing this, Six Offices Commander So Yerin frowned and said,
"Bronze Men?"
Those were undoubtedly Bronze Men.
They were beings born through unorthodox arts, possessing human forms but lacking consciousness or will, moving only according to set commands.
Looking at those Bronze Men and Six Offices Commander Im Gyu-weol leading them, Mok Gyeong-un clicked his tongue.
"Dragging along useless things."
-Swish!
Mok Gyeong-un passed through the smoke entrance and made a pulling gesture with his hand.
Then, Holy Fire Priestess's body, who had been painstakingly walking with her aged frame, floated up and flew towards Mok Gyeong-un.
"Oh my!"
As Holy Fire Priestess also passed through the entrance,
-Swish!
Mok Gyeong-un stopped infusing curse power into the talisman held between his index and middle fingers.
With the curse power cut off, he expected the smoke door to close immediately, but,
-Sssshh sssshh!
Contrary to this expectation, the smoke door slowly dissipated and had yet to disappear.
It maintained a state of being on the verge of closing.
-Clang! Clang! Clang!
In the meantime, Six Offices Commander Im Gyu-weol, along with the Bronze Men of the Eternal Hell Prison chasing him, reached the immediate vicinity of the entrance.
At this rate, even they would come out through the door.
Mok Gyeong-un grasped his sword, intending to prevent them from crossing over, but right then,
"I'll do it."
'!?'
With those words, someone powerfully stepped on an acupoint towards the smoke entrance.
-Thud!
That someone was none other than Six Offices Commander So Yerin.
Seeing this, Six Offices Commander Im Gyu-weol, who had been rushing towards the smoke entrance, was startled and shouted in shock,
"Officer So! Y-you, what are you doing…"
Before he could even finish his words,
So Yerin forcefully pulled back her sword and thrust it towards the entrance.
'True Chasing and Turning Sword (축아회검(逐亞回劍)!'
-Ssshhh ssshhh ssshhh ssshhh!
At that instant, sword energy swirled from the tip of her blade and surged towards the entrance with a momentum akin to a storm.
The sword technique with a tempestuous force blocked the entrance, and Six Offices Commander Im Gyu-weol, along with the Bronze Men of the Eternal Hell Prison who had been rushing over, were swept up by it and bounced away.
283: Chapter 282: Entanglements (2)
Ssshhh ssshhh ssshhh ssshhh!
The True Chasing and Turning Sword of Six Offices Commander So Yerin surged with a momentum akin to a storm as it swirled.
Its power was so strong that Six Offices Commander Im Gyu-weol and the Bronze Men were all swept up by the sword energy and bounced away.
The face of Im Gyu-weol, who had been rejoicing just a moment ago that he was alive, was truly 'miserable'.
As they were swept away by the sword energy, a coincidental event occurred.
The smoke door that had remained open now closed completely.
-Sssshh sssshh!
As the door fully vanished, the talisman held between the index and middle fingers,
-Crack!
Shattered and dispersed.
It clearly proved to be a single-use item.
Staring intently at the shattered talisman, Mok Gyeong-un slowly turned his head and spoke to Six Offices Commander So Yerin,
"…Wasn't he your colleague?"
If she was the head of the Sixth Office, Im Gyu-weol was the head of the Fourth Office.
Although they were from different offices, they could be considered colleagues of the same rank in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, so he hadn't expected her to suddenly unleash a sword stance at him.
To Mok Gyeong-un's question, she replied,
"Better than things getting complicated."
Six Offices Commander So Yerin also had an eye for the situation.
With two escaped prisoners clearly present, if he, the head in charge of the underground golden prison, were to escape, it was evident that things would get complicated.
Therefore, she unleashed the sword stance without a moment's hesitation.
"Is it alright to say our interests aligned?"
"…"
At Mok Gyeong-un's words, So Yerin silently turned her head and looked at Nine Blood Sect's Sixth Blood Saint Dam Baek-ha.
At this, Dam Baek-ha bowed to her with her hands clasped and said,
"You are indeed the one who carries his bloodline, correct?"
To this question, So Yerin briefly glanced around and finally nodded.
"That's right."
At her answer, the masked Thousand-men Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Ma Ra-hyeon, who had been watching, exclaimed in astonishment.
From the beginning, Ma Ra-hyeon knew that his master, So Yerin, had joined the Embroidered Uniform Guard here to find someone.
However, he didn't know that person was a prisoner locked in the underground golden prison.
Suddenly, Ma Ra-hyeon looked at Mok Gyeong-un with surprised eyes.
'Then, were they indeed connected?'
If one of the two people Mok Gyeong-un had broken out was the person Six Offices Commander So Yerin had been searching for, it would be strange to say they had no connection.
Meanwhile, Dam Baek-ha knelt on one knee with reddened eyes and said,
-Thud!
"Aaah. I've been searching for so long."
"Blood Demon. Please don't do this."
So Yerin tried to make her stand up.
However, Dam Baek-ha shook her head and refused.
"No. Young Miss, you are the only remaining true heir who can carry on the lineage of our sect. How can this subordinate not pay her respects?"
'The true heir to carry on the sect?'
At her words, Mok Gyeong-un looked at them with bewilderment.
What was the relationship between these two?
Nine Blood Sect's Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha had been searching for someone related to 'that person' who carried the blood of Jin Clan and So Clan.
In the midst of this, Mok Gyeong-un had intended to have the masked Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon Ra-hyeon meet Dam Baek-ha, thinking he might know something, but he suddenly realized that Six Offices Commander So Yerin was the So Clan Dam Baek-ha had been searching for.
However, for Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha, who was called a remnant of the Nine Blood Sect, to suddenly call So Yerin the 'true heir to carry on the sect'…
'Are Jin Clan and So Clan the family of the leaders from the destroyed Nine Blood Sect?'
It had to be that way for things to make some sense.
While sorting this out in his mind, So Yerin also knelt on one knee, met Dam Baek-ha's gaze, and said,
"I don't have the qualifications for that."
"What do you mean you don't have the qualifications? He was also the sect leader of our Nine Blood Sect. If you, who inherited his bloodline, don't have the qualifications, then who does?"
"…"
At Dam Baek-ha's words, Six Offices Commander So Yerin tightly shut her mouth.
She had an expression as if she was in a difficult position.
To her, Dam Baek-ha even prostrated herself and said,
-Bam!
"This is all the guidance of the heavens. Please take in this subordinate and the surviving sect members and revive our Nine Blood Sect."
"Blood Demon!"
At her attitude, So Yerin couldn't help but feel even more embarrassed.
Seeing the executive of the Nine Blood Sect go this far, it seemed certain that So Yerin was indeed connected to the Nine Blood Sect, which was known to have been destroyed.
However, now was not the time to continue this conversation.
With the underground golden prison collapsing, earthquakes must have occurred, and the situation must have escalated, causing chaos throughout the imperial palace.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, they had to quickly escape the imperial palace.
At this, Mok Gyeong-un interjected and politely said,
"I don't know what kind of relationship you two have, but it seems you've had a moving reunion, so congratulations. However, if we spend more time here, it will become difficult to leave the imperial palace."
"Leave the imperial palace?"
At these words, So Yerin turned her head and alternately looked at Mok Gyeong-un and the old woman Holy Fire Priestess.
Then she asked the prostrating Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha,
"Is this person also from the Blood Sect?"
"Ah! No. That young old woman is the one I truly came to save."
"You came to save that elder?"
Due to Dam Baek-ha's words, So Yerin had been doubtful until just now, but she realized that Mok Gyeong-un had nothing to do with them.
It seemed he had met Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha by pure coincidence in the underground golden prison and came out together.
Meanwhile, Mok Gyeong-un spoke to the masked Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon Ra-hyeon,
"Commander Ma Ra-hyeon. Did you prepare that?"
At Mok Gyeong-un's question, Ma Ra-hyeon instinctively replied,
"Yes. It's prepared outside the warehouse."
Seeing him respectfully answer as if he were a subordinate, So Yerin intervened in a tone of incomprehension,
"Commander Ma Ra-hyeon. Since when have you been helping him?"
He was a disciple to whom she had imparted martial arts and was like her right-hand man.
Seeing him behave as if he were loyal to Mok Gyeong-un was utterly unacceptable.
The Ma Ra-hyeon she knew would never submit to anyone.
"Did Mok Gyeong-un know your weakness?"
"Officer So… That's…"
Ma Ra-hyeon was flustered and at a loss for words.
Due to the evil energy, he had naturally developed loyalty to Mok Gyeong-un, but Six Offices Commander So Yerin was his master, mentor, and superior.
She was such a special existence to him that it was difficult to endure her interrogation.
Then Mok Gyeong-un intervened,
"Don't press him too hard. I merely helped Commander Ma Ra-hyeon, who was addicted to Poison Gu and caught by a weakness, that's all."
"What? Poison Gu? What do you mean by that?"
She asked in surprise, looking at Mok Gyeong-un.
To this, Mok Gyeong-un shrugged and replied,
"Exactly what I said. The Associate Military Commissioner Sang Ik-seo had addicted Commander Ma Ra-hyeon here to Poison Gu and had been continuously blackmailing him. Isn't that right?"
"…That's correct."
Ma Ra-hyeon answered with difficulty.
There was no falsehood in what was said regarding this matter.
At this, So Yerin spoke in dismay,
"Commander Ma Ra-hyeon. Why didn't you tell me…"
"It's not that I couldn't tell you. They said that if you get addicted to Poison Gu, you'll be bound by a prohibition, and just mentioning it would cost you your life. I can't believe you didn't know until now. You weren't attentive enough to your subordinate."
"…"
At Mok Gyeong-un's sarcastic words, So Yerin bit her lip hard.
She was inwardly angry but couldn't say anything.
She had a firm belief that she must protect her people no matter what.
However, she couldn't help but feel a sense of self-reproach upon realizing that she had been unaware until now that her right-hand man had been addicted to Poison Gu.
So Yerin looked at Ma Ra-hyeon and spoke with difficulty,
"Commander Ma Ra-hyeon… I…"
"Officer So… It's alright. It was truly an unavoidable situation. I wanted to tell you, but I didn't want to trouble you."
"How could that be troublesome? I didn't even know you were in such a painful situation…"
Seeing her eyes redden, Ma Ra-hyeon hurriedly waved his hands.
His heart ached at the sight of her blaming herself.
"Absolutely… Absolutely none of this is your fault, Officer So. All of this happened due to my carelessness."
At his words, So Yerin stared intently, swallowed dryly, and said,
"…Are you alright now?"
At this question, Ma Ra-hyeon hesitated for a moment but then answered without delay,
"I'm fine. If it weren't for Young Master Mok's help, I would have died."
In fact, the parasitic male Poison Gu was still in his body.
And the one controlling that Poison Gu had merely changed from Associate Military Commissioner Sang Ik-seo to Mok Gyeong-un.
There was also a prohibition against speaking about this, but Ma Ra-hyeon, not wanting to worry his mentor So Yerin, lied.
It was better to do this than to hold her back.
"Is that true?"
"Yes, and thanks to Young Master Mok, I also secured evidence of the assassination plan that Associate Military Commissioner Sang Ik-seo was about to carry out. It's in that place in the office."
"…"
At Ma Ra-hyeon's words, So Yerin silently turned her head and looked at Mok Gyeong-un.
If what Ma Ra-hyeon said was true, she should be grateful instead.
She glanced at Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha as well.
Whether intentional or not, thanks to him, she was able to confirm the survival and even save the Blood Demon she had been trying to rescue.
Furthermore, even the disciple Joo Woonhyang, who was connected to her, had almost been trapped in the underground golden prison and unable to escape, but Mok Gyeong-un had saved him.
Considering all this, she was entirely indebted to him.
At this, Six Offices Commander So Yerin clasped her hands together and bowed to Mok Gyeong-un.
"Young Miss?"
"Officer So?"
Ignoring the puzzled questions of Ma Ra-hyeon and Dam Baek-ha, So Yerin spoke in a respectful voice,
"Young Master Mok… I express my gratitude to you."
'!?'
At her attitude, a gleam flashed in Mok Gyeong-un's eyes.
He had been worried that things might become more troublesome, but he hadn't expected her to express gratitude to him.
She seemed to have quite a strong sense of pride, but surprisingly, she was quick to acknowledge.
'Well, it's not like I did anything particularly deserving of gratitude.'
They were merely byproducts that occurred in the process of resolving his own matters.
However, there was no reason to refuse when she was expressing gratitude.
Mok Gyeong-un also clasped his hands and bowed to her, replying as a formality,
"It wasn't something I did intentionally."
"Even so, it doesn't change the fact that I owe you in many ways, Young Master Mok. Therefore, I will make sure to repay this debt."
At her words, Mok Gyeong-un chuckled inwardly.
She said she would definitely repay the debt, but she was speaking with a determined voice as if she were going to take revenge on an enemy.
It seemed she couldn't internally accept being indebted to him.
However, thanks to this, a good card had appeared.
Now that he had safely gotten Holy Fire Priestess out of the underground golden prison, the remaining concern was leaving the imperial palace.
It seemed he could also receive her help in this matter.
Mok Gyeong-un smiled and said to her,
"Since you say you will definitely repay the debt, I have a suggestion. How about helping us leave the imperial palace?"
At this, Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha also interjected as if it were a good opportunity,
"Young Miss. Why don't we also leave the imperial palace with them this time? For the sake of rebuilding our sect…"
"Blood Demon. I'm sorry."
"Pardon?"
"As I said before, I don't have the qualifications you speak of."
"Young Miss… Why do you keep saying that…"
"I apologize. And I still have things to do in the imperial palace."
"What?"
Surprised by the unexpected refusal, Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha frowned.
She had thought So Yerin would certainly go with them, but she hadn't expected her to suddenly refuse.
No, even if not rebuilding the Blood Sect, she had at least expected her to leave this place together.
"…Why do you want to stay in a place like this?"
"That's…"
So Yerin hesitated and glanced at the unconscious Joo Woonhyang.
They had made a promise to each other.
[So what do you want?]
[…I will overturn this rotten nation from within.]
[Joo Woonhyang… Do you know what you're trying to say now? That's…]
[Yes, this is treason.]
[!!!!!!]
284: Chapter 283: Entanglements (3)
[Joo Woonhyang… Do you know what you're trying to say now? That's…]
[Yes, it's treason.]
[!!!!!!]
Treason.
She had never expected those words to come out of his mouth.
She still couldn't forget the determined look in that man's eyes.
She had met countless people until now, but he was the first to reveal such an absurd ambition.
'Overturn… the nation?'
His martial arts were weak, and he had no power at all.
He had nothing to his name, yet how could such words come out of his mouth?
Nevertheless, she didn't ridicule this ambition.
This nation was rotten to the core.
The emperor was immersed in lust, and the powerful officials were only focused on fighting for power.
The people were suffering, but those in power and the privileged class were still busy exploiting them, and the people's livelihood was becoming increasingly destitute.
The people who should have been cultivating the land were starving to death or becoming bandits, harming each other.
This would only get worse, not better.
That's why So Yerin understood why Joo Woonhyang revealed such an ambition.
However, she couldn't judge whether he could achieve it or not.
No matter how rotten and festering, it was a nation.
Bringing down a nation was not something that could be done with the strength or ambition of a single individual.
But she wanted to watch.
She wanted to see if that man could achieve that ambition when people like herself and others lent their strength one by one.
"Young Miss?"
At that moment, Nine Blood Sect's Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha called out to her.
"Ah… Yes."
At this, So Yerin, who had been lost in thought, came to her senses.
She turned her gaze to Dam Baek-ha.
Her promise with Joo Woonhyang was not something she could mention to anyone, so she spoke of another reason why she had to stay in the imperial palace.
"…I'm searching for clues about the Great Calamity."
At those words, Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha frowned and spoke,
"When you say the Great Calamity, could it be?"
"Yes, that day. I'm searching for clues about the day that created the boundary between the current martial world and the old martial world."
"Young Miss, that incident is already…"
"Yes, it's an old story now. But my father lost his life in the process of searching for clues about it."
"When you say your father?"
"His courtesy name uses the characters Jin, Yeong, and In."
At So Yerin's words, Dam Baek-ha spoke in surprise,
"Th-that person is the So Clan Leader, isn't he?"
At her words, So Yerin replied in a bitter voice,
"…That's right. I heard he was."
"Aaah. The peerless So Clan Leader was alive."
Dam Baek-ha nodded, finally realizing the position of So Yerin's family.
However, on the other hand, she looked intently at So Yerin's face as if she couldn't understand.
That's because if she was the daughter of Jin Yeong-in, the So Clan Leader, she should be of considerable age now, but no matter how one looked at it, she appeared to be only in her twenties.
It could be that she had achieved longevity, but there was no sense of spiritual energy that would suggest that.
At this bewilderment, So Yerin spoke as if reading her thoughts,
"At that time, all the people of Jin Clan lost their lives in the Great Calamity. I was born from my father's connection with my mother while he was searching for clues about the Great Calamity."
"Aaah, I see."
Dam Baek-ha sighed in understanding.
So Yerin was the daughter of the So Clan Leader and carried his bloodline, but she was not someone who had experienced that era.
No, in the first place, the only one who knew about that era was probably herself.
Who would still be alive now?
Of course, what was really important wasn't that.
"But Young Miss… You said the So Clan Leader lost his life while searching for clues about the Great Calamity. What do you mean by that?"
She asked in a trembling voice.
At this, So Yerin replied with reddened eyes, clenching her fists tightly,
"…My father was murdered here in Kaifeng."
"How… How could such a thing happen? Jin Yeong-in, the So Clan Leader, was one of the greatest masters of the era who surpassed the pinnacle. But how could he…"
"My father lost one leg and his left eye on the day of the Great Calamity. He said his martial arts were not as they used to be."
"Even so, he wouldn't have been someone who could be easily defeated. For someone to be able to harm him… Could it be that he approached the clues about the day of the Great Calamity?"
"…It seems so."
So Yerin still couldn't forget that night.
Her father, Jin Yeong-in, who had suffered severe injuries, barely escaped the imperial capital Kaifeng while holding her, and even on the verge of death, he transferred all his innate true energy to her.
On his deathbed, her father held her hand tightly and entrusted her,
[No more… Don't get involved in this matter anymore. Rin-ah… Please… your… life…]
Those were his last words.
He didn't want his daughter to avenge him or search for clues about the Great Calamity.
However, she couldn't do that.
She had lost her only blood relative.
-Drip!
A tear rolled down So Yerin's cheek.
Seeing this, Dam Baek-ha silently embraced her.
The feeling of losing a loved one was something she had experienced countless times throughout her long life.
Nevertheless, far from getting used to it, each time it happened, her heart felt like it was being torn apart.
Understanding this, she silently embraced her to comfort her.
"…"
Mok Gyeong-un, who had been staring intently at her, let out a small sigh.
Although he was clumsy with other emotions, he knew well the feeling of losing a loved one, so he just watched, but time was running out.
They couldn't stay here any longer.
The day of the Great Calamity or the old martial world, whatever it was, it was their matter anyway.
Meanwhile, So Yerin, who had been sobbing in Dam Baek-ha's arms, wiped her tears with her sleeve and spoke,
"Thank you."
"Please don't mention it."
"By the way, there was something I wanted to ask the Blood Demon."
"You mean me?"
"I heard that you were the only one who experienced the day of the Great Calamity. Is that right?"
"…That's correct."
At that question, Dam Baek-ha sighed and nodded.
Everyone else had passed away, so that was the case.
At this, So Yerin asked,
"I heard that on the day of the Great Calamity, you faced a four-headed demonic creature that turned five cities into ruins. Is that true?"
"Yes… That's right."
Perhaps recalling the memory of that day, Dam Baek-ha's expression rapidly darkened.
For her, that day was no different from hell.
It was the day she lost countless loved ones and the day she received the curse of longevity (chang-sheng), which she would discard if she could.
So Yerin took a deep breath and spoke to her, whose energy had diminished,
"I heard that at that time, an absolute master appeared and barely killed the demonic creature, stealing its essence. Is that correct?"
"…"
At her question, Dam Baek-ha's eyes wavered.
Her eyes were already picturing that day, which had become the distant past.
She, along with the executives of the Blood Sect, thousands of sect members, and martial artists of the Evil Faction Alliance, had gathered to fight day and night to kill the demonic creature.
However, even though all those martial artists fought with their lives on the line, killing the demonic creature was far from easy.
They had to cut off all its heads at roughly the same time to kill it, but they didn't know this properly, so after cutting off a head, it would regenerate not long after, and the battle continued endlessly.
[Three Venerables! Three Ancestooooors!]
[B-Blood Demon. Fourth Blood Demon has fallen in battle.]
[Huff huff. There's no more hope. That monster won't die!]
By the time they discovered the demonic creature's weakness, nearly 70% of their forces had already lost their lives.
However, with so many people dying, they finally learned that they could kill the demonic creature by cutting off all its heads, so they engaged in one last fierce battle.
It was around the time they had cut off two of the demonic creature's heads.
There was no way that the remaining 30% of their forces could withstand the demonic creature that they had barely dealt with even when all their forces were intact.
Almost everyone had lost their lives, and only a few remained alive.
It was at that moment.
Someone appeared.
"…It was a supreme swordsmanship I had never seen before in my life."
"Swordsmanship?"
"Yes… Each sword move exceeded the range of motion of the joints and even surpassed the limits of the muscles. It was a monstrous swordsmanship used by that person."
At these words, So Yerin frowned.
Regardless, Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha continued,
"That person who suddenly appeared cut off the remaining two necks of the demonic creature that we had been struggling so much with."
At his appearance, the survivors cheered.
They thought a supreme expert had come to their aid.
However, when the demonic creature died like that, the supreme expert smashed the demonic creature's back shell and extracted the essence inside.
"Up to that point, there was no problem. We didn't even know what the essence of a spiritual creature was in the first place, and our goal was simply to kill the demonic creature."
But what followed was the issue.
The person who had extracted the demonic creature's essence suddenly attacked the surviving martial artists.
With his abrupt actions, Dam Baek-ha realized that this person was not their ally.
"I tried to fight him along with the remaining sect members."
However, she couldn't do that.
When cutting off the demonic creature's neck, she had swallowed some of its blood, which caused her internal organs to be overturned by lightning power, and she was engulfed in unimaginable pain.
Unable to endure that pain, she had to watch her sect members die as she lost consciousness.
"Ha…"
"…If the Elder hadn't come, I would have lost my life as well."
"Elder? Ah! It's that person. I also heard from my father that he had gone to help."
"Yes. If the Elder hadn't arrived in time, I would also be in the netherworld."
At her words, So Yerin asked in a hopeful voice,
"Could the Elder still be alive?"
"I apologize, but I don't know. The last time I saw him was before I was imprisoned in the underground golden prison of the imperial palace here. It's been decades."
"Decades… Ah…"
"Until then, the Elder was also in good health. He was wandering near the Janggang River, carrying a bamboo fishing rod on his shoulder."
'Bamboo fishing rod?'
Mok Gyeong-un, who had been silently listening to their conversation, had a gleam in his eyes.
At the mention of an elder carrying a bamboo fishing rod, someone came to mind.
It was the elderly man with a pale face and a scholarly appearance that he had seen on the boat in the pouring rain.
'…Is it a coincidence?'
Just mentioning that he had a bamboo fishing rod, the appearance and attire overlapped.
Even though it was just one thing.
However, Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha said she had seen that elder decades ago.
If she, who had achieved immortality, called him an elder, he must be an extremely old man.
There was no way such a person could still be alive.
'Or could it be possible?'
Come to think of it, there was a woman right in front of him who had achieved immortality in a youthful appearance, so there was no reason why there couldn't be an old man who had lived a long time.
At this, Mok Gyeong-un abruptly asked them,
"Sorry to interrupt, but does that elder have a pale face, sharp eyes, and a scholarly appearance?"
'!?'
As soon as he finished speaking, So Yerin and Dam Baek-ha simultaneously turned their heads.
Then the two of them approached him at the same time and said,
"What did you just say?"
"Did you say a scholarly appearance?"
Asked simultaneously, Mok Gyeong-un scratched his head and said,
"Before coming to Kaifeng, I had to cross a river, and there, I met an old man holding a bamboo fishing rod."
At Mok Gyeong-un's words, Dam Baek-ha looked at him with doubtful eyes.
Then she carefully spoke to So Yerin beside her,
"Young Miss. It might not be him. Although the appearance and attire seem similar, considering the Elder's age, no matter how profound his internal energy is…"
-Swish!
Before she could even finish her words,
Mok Gyeong-un grasped his sword and assumed a stance.
'!!!!!'
Seeing this, So Yerin and Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha, who had been skeptical, momentarily looked at him with surprised eyes.
Then Mok Gyeong-un unfolded a sword technique.
-Swish swish swish swish swish!
A refreshing sword path reminiscent of a full moon.
So Yerin's eyes trembled as she watched this.
Having inherited all the martial arts related to her family from her father, she recognized at a glance what sword technique Mok Gyeong-un was using.
'Moonless Void Sword!'
285: Chapter 284: Entanglements (4)
It was when Six Offices Commander So Yerin and Nine Blood Sect's Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha were having a long conversation.
The masked Embroidered Uniform Guard Ma Ra-hyeon, who had been worried that helping Mok Gyeong-un's kidnapping of the underground golden prison's prisoners might lead to trouble, was relieved and quietly observing.
As he stood there silently, Ma Ra-hyeon's gaze had at some point shifted from So Yerin and Dam Baek-ha to someone else.
It was an old woman wearing a prisoner's uniform, Holy Fire Priestess.
His initial interest in Holy Fire Priestess was due to her old age.
'…How was someone so elderly imprisoned in the Eternal Hell Prison?'
He had heard that the Eternal Hell Prison was where only the worst felons were held.
Those imprisoned there were said to be mostly traitors or those who had reached an uncontrollable level, but that old woman seemed strange.
That's because there were no signs of her having cultivated internal energy.
Even if she had concealed her martial arts, her footsteps were no different from ordinary people.
'What crime did she commit?'
And why did Mok Gyeong-un bring her out?
As he was wondering, Ma Ra-hyeon, who had been intently staring at the Holy Fire Priestess's face, frowned.
At first, it was just curiosity about who she was.
But strangely, her face seemed familiar.
'Strange.'
Had he ever encountered a prisoner from the Eternal Hell Prison in the underground golden prison?
Like Six Offices Commander So Yerin, he had never been assigned to the Fourth Office.
But why did her face seem familiar?
After staring for a while, Ma Ra-hyeon's eyes narrowed like needles.
'I definitely saw her.'
Although it was very old and faint, he had seen that old woman before.
Ma Ra-hyeon's pupils contracted as he couldn't take his eyes off Holy Fire Priestess, trying to let it pass without much thought.
Ma Ra-hyeon tried to remember her somehow.
Instinctively, he felt that he shouldn't just overlook it.
Obsessed with the compulsion to remember at all costs, he couldn't even hear the conversation between So Yerin and Dam Baek-ha.
Then,
-Swish!
As if sensing the gaze staring at her intensely, the Holy Fire Priestess unconsciously looked at Ma Ra-hyeon.
As their eyes met, the Holy Fire Priestess wondered why he was doing that.
She had been instinctively avoiding his gaze because he was wearing the Embroidered Uniform Guard attire, but being stared at so intently made her uneasy.
However,
'Huh?'
The Holy Fire Priestess's eyes also narrowed.
She hadn't noticed before, but she discovered the azure eyes visible through the gaps in his mask.
Seeing this, the Holy Fire Priestess couldn't hide her shock.
She unknowingly twisted her body and muttered softly,
"Priest Mayera?"
However, as a skilled martial artist, there was no way Ma Ra-hyeon wouldn't hear this.
'Priest Mayera?'
The moment he heard this, Ma Ra-hyeon's eyes trembled violently.
As he was concentrating with all his might to remember the familiar face, forgotten memories stirred and surfaced in his mind.
It was Ma Ra-hyeon's childhood.
Standing next to his mother, Ma Ra-hyeon was watching someone who was busy packing and preparing to leave.
Unlike the mixed-blood Ma Ra-hyeon, he was a perfect Westerner with blond hair and azure eyes.
Dressed in Chinese attire rather than Western clothing, the Westerner approached his mother, hugged her, and patted Ma Ra-hyeon's head.
[فرزند من] (My son)
With those words, the Westerner turned and headed towards the door.
In front of the door stood a middle-aged woman with a graceful appearance, leaning on a cane with a blue jade bead embedded in it.
The middle-aged woman was none other than the old woman.
He now understood why her face seemed familiar but he couldn't remember.
It was because it was a long time ago, and her face had become so haggard and wrinkled that it didn't come to mind.
The Westerner spoke to the old woman in a clumsy manner,
[You've waited a long time.]
[No, Priest Mayera.]
[Let's go now.]
[Thank you. Having Priest Mayera from the main order in the homeland accompany us will be a great strength to the believers of our order.]
At her words, the Westerner showed a peculiar expression.
That expression was utterly bitter.
It was as if he was going to a place from which he could not return.
And that bitter face was the last one Ma Ra-hyeon saw of the Westerner.
'…Father.'
The Westerner was none other than Ma Ra-hyeon's father.
Is foreboding always accurate?
When leaving, his father had promised to return.
But in the end, he never came back.
What returned were a few of his father's belongings, and upon receiving the news of his death along with those items, his mother was unable to overcome her grief and passed away after a prolonged illness.
-Clench!
Now everything came back to him.
His mother, who had a bad feeling and begged his father to stay.
His father, who had been conflicted until the end.
And that old woman who had persuaded his father to go with her.
-Squeeze!
Ma Ra-hyeon's nails dug into his clenched fists.
Anger suddenly surged.
If only that old woman hadn't appeared and taken his damned father, his mother wouldn't have died from grief, and he wouldn't have been dragged around by slave traders for years, labeled as a mixed-blood.
'This bitch!'
Nevertheless, that old woman never showed up in front of them.
She had babbled about personally coming to take his father because he was a priest of the main sect in the homeland, but in the end, the one who delivered the news of his death was a low-ranking believer they had never heard of.
Unable to contain his anger, Ma Ra-hyeon approached the Holy Fire Priestess.
'This guy?'
The Holy Fire Priestess took a step back for a moment.
The moment she saw Ma Ra-hyeon's azure eyes, she was reminded of someone.
But that someone had died.
A long time ago.
So it meant it was someone she didn't know, but the moment she saw those burning eyes, she could instinctively tell it was anger.
-Step!
As he approached silently, the Holy Fire Priestess's eyes wavered.
At first, she didn't understand where this anger came from.
But the moment Ma Ra-hyeon took two steps forward, someone flashed through her mind.
It was,
'Could it be?'
The mixed-blood boy she had seen at Priest Mayera's house.
A boy with black hair because he was a mix of Chinese and Western blood, but with an exotic appearance and azure eyes that resembled his father's.
The Holy Fire Priestess was momentarily engulfed in shock.
If that boy were alive, he would have grown up and become an adult by now.
'How could this be…'
Was he really alive?
When she went back there, no one was there.
Even if she wanted to ask someone, they lived deep in the mountains, so she couldn't even inquire about their whereabouts.
At this, Holy Fire Priestess spoke to the approaching Ma Ra-hyeon,
"Could you possibly be…"
Right then,
-Swish swish swish swish swish!
Mok Gyeong-un suddenly unleashed a sword technique.
Although it was a technique she had never seen before, the grandeur contained in the sword path was so tremendous that everyone couldn't help but have their attention stolen by it for a moment.
The sword technique, reminiscent of a full moon, had many sword intentions despite its uncomplicated trajectory.
'…Ha!'
Even Ma Ra-hyeon, who had been consumed by anger, couldn't take his eyes off it.
As a martial artist, it was impossible to ignore the sword technique Mok Gyeong-un was demonstrating.
'How can such complexity be contained within simplicity?'
It wasn't just Ma Ra-hyeon who had this thought.
Even from the mouths of So Yerin and Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha, who knew what sword art Mok Gyeong-un was using, exclamations of admiration flowed out.
As she watched the sword technique, So Yerin's eyes widened.
The reason was that the Moonless Void Sword Mok Gyeong-un was using was different from what she knew.
'Different.'
The trajectory of the sword moves was different.
The unnecessary sword paths that existed in the original sword stances were gone, and each of the original sword paths was thoroughly focused on killing the opponent.
However, the sword stances of the Moonless Void Sword that Mok Gyeong-un demonstrated even broke away from the framework of the existing sword paths.
-Flow!
Tears flowed down So Yerin's cheeks as she watched this.
It was a sword path that made even her heart swell.
Even though the sword path moved freely, breaking away from the framework of the original stances, it didn't deviate from the framework of the Moonless Void Sword.
'Was it real?'
Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha even opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue.
The sword technique Mok Gyeong-un was demonstrating now was close to perfection.
If the sword she had seen from the Elder in the past was filled only with killing intent, the current sword was the embodiment of freedom itself.
'Undoubtedly. It's the Elder's sword.'
Even if the form was different, the sword intent couldn't change.
However, what was astonishing was the Moonless Void Sword, which was known as one of the Five Great Sword Arts of the Central Plains even back then.
To think that such a sword art could evolve to this extent.
Indeed, the Elder was an unparalleled genius.
-Plop!
At that moment, someone was seen sitting on the ground.
It was none other than the masked Embroidered Uniform Guard Ma Ra-hyeon.
Ma Ra-hyeon, who had been staring intently at Mok Gyeong-un's sword, closed his eyes as if he had gained some enlightenment and entered a state of meditation.
'Ha? Look at this guy.'
He was a very lucky fellow.
The sword Mok Gyeong-un was demonstrating now was close to the pinnacle of swordsmanship, surpassing the state of transcendence.
If one couldn't gain any enlightenment after seeing that, it could only be said that they lacked talent.
Dam Baek-ha glanced at So Yerin.
Judging by her flushed face and inability to take her eyes off the sword technique, it seemed she had also gained enlightenment.
'…As expected of his descendant.'
Dam Baek-ha had briefly clashed with So Yerin.
Her martial prowess was not inferior even when compared to herself, who had cultivated martial arts for a long time.
No, it was difficult to fathom its end.
Yet despite that, she gained further enlightenment here.
She was indeed a person of great talent.
Blood couldn't be deceived.
-Swish!
Meanwhile, Mok Gyeong-un stopped demonstrating the sword technique.
It was to prove that he had met the old man, so there was no need to display the entire stance.
As Mok Gyeong-un stopped midway, So Yerin's eyes were filled with regret.
'Ah…'
That's because it was a moment when she was about to grasp something.
It wasn't a small enlightenment but a huge starting point that could lead to a higher realm.
However, as Mok Gyeong-un stopped the sword technique, the starting point she was about to touch and enter a state of contemplation also ceased.
As a result, she couldn't help but smack her lips in disappointment.
To her, Mok Gyeong-un said,
"As you can see, I received teachings from the Elder. But I don't know if it's the same Elder that Officer So knows…"
"Wait… Did you say you received teachings just now?"
"Yes."
"Directly from him, Young Master Mok?"
"Well, yes."
Thanks to that, he was able to create the Demonic Sword Art on his own.
However, at Mok Gyeong-un's answer, So Yerin and Dam Baek-ha looked at each other with surprised eyes.
Then,
-Bam!
Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha knelt on one knee in front of Mok Gyeong-un, suddenly clasped her hands together, and paid her respects.
'!?'
286: Chapter 285: Entanglements (5)
As Nine Blood Sect's Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha suddenly paid her respects, Mok Gyeong-un, who became puzzled, asked,
"Why are you doing this all of a sudden?"
At that question, Dam Baek-ha raised her head and said to Mok Gyeong-un,
"Please forgive my previous rudeness. Dam Baek-ha, the Blood Demon of the Blood Sect, formally greets the disciple of the Elder."
Although it was somewhat awkward, she paid proper respects.
However, it wasn't just her.
Six Offices Commander So Yerin, who had been hesitating for a moment, also bowed respectfully to Mok Gyeong-un with her hands clasped together, though not as much as Dam Baek-ha.
-Swish!
"Hmm. I don't understand at all."
As Mok Gyeong-un expressed his bewilderment, Dam Baek-ha replied,
"Although our sect reveres the strong, we cannot ignore the distribution of authority."
"Distribution?"
"Yes. If none other than the Elder himself imparted martial arts to you, it's no different from being the most senior in our sect."
"Senior?"
At these words, Mok Gyeong-un tilted his head.
It wasn't that he was ignorant of etiquette, but Mok Gyeong-un wasn't well-versed in the widely known rules or principles of the martial world.
As a result, this turned out to be quite coincidental, contrary to Mok Gyeong-un's intentions.
It wasn't that martial artists were unaware of etiquette.
Whether in government or private affairs, martial artists also formed a group and inherited their martial arts, so they sometimes valued etiquette even more, depending on the situation.
This could be considered one of those cases.
'Hmm.'
The old man Mok Gyeong-un had met in the pouring rain, holding a bamboo fishing rod.
Unlike his humble appearance, everything from his martial arts was extraordinary.
But for a figure from the old martial world to treat that old man with such respect, just how long had he lived, and what was his identity?
At this, Mok Gyeong-un asked,
"Who is this Elder you mentioned that you say he is no different from being my most senior?"
At his words, Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha asked back with a puzzled look,
"Could it be that you don't know who the Elder is?"
"It's not that I don't know, but he didn't tell me. Anything other than enlightenment."
"Ah…"
At Mok Gyeong-un's words, Dam Baek-ha glanced at So Yerin.
As if So Yerin had the same thought, she made a peculiar expression and nodded.
Then Dam Baek-ha turned her head again and said,
"Didn't the Elder tell you anything?"
"No. He never revealed it in the end."
"I see. If that was the Elder's intention, I also cannot tell you."
"What?"
"It's exactly as I said. If the Elder didn't reveal his identity to you, there must be a great reason behind it."
"Is there a reason why it shouldn't be revealed?"
Mok Gyeong-un said as if he couldn't understand.
Then Dam Baek-ha carefully said,
"There must be a purpose behind the Elder not revealing this to you."
"Purpose? Do you have any idea?"
"The Elder had already left the martial world a long time ago."
"Leaving means retirement?"
"Yes. That could be one meaning. The Elder had turned his back on the martial world for a very long time. It was even when I was young and inexperienced. If it weren't for that incident, he would have revealed himself even less."
"That incident?"
"…The day of the Great Calamity."
At Dam Baek-ha's words, Mok Gyeong-un, who had been curious anyway, asked,
"Come to think of it, I heard you two talking earlier that the boundary of the martial world was divided based on the day of the Great Calamity. Can I know what that is?"
"You mean… the day of the Great Calamity?"
"Yes."
At Mok Gyeong-un's question, Dam Baek-ha sighed, almost like a lament, and said,
"Indeed, for someone of your generation and the current martial artists, the day of the Great Calamity has become too much of a distant past."
"Judging by the term 'Great Calamity,' it must have been a huge incident."
"Even that is an understatement. Because of that day, countless people in the Central Plains lost their lives, and more than 80% of the martial artists died."
"80% of martial artists?"
More than 80%.
It meant that the vast majority of martial artists had died.
What on earth happened that so many martial artists lost their lives?
Was it because of the demonic creature called Dragon Turtle, Yong-gwi (龍龜,용귀) that they mentioned earlier?
"Did that spiritual creature Dragon Turtle cause that?"
"It wasn't just the Dragon Turtle."
"Saying it wasn't just Dragon Turtle sounds like there were other things as well."
"Yes. Because on the same day, strange monsters and all sorts of spiritual creatures suddenly appeared in various parts of the Central Plains and turned the entire region upside down."
'!?'
Numerous monsters and spiritual creatures appeared in the Central Plains on the same day and turned it upside down?
Mok Gyeong-un frowned.
Is such a thing even possible?
Meanwhile,
"I heard that even here in the imperial capital Kaifeng, a bizarre spiritual creature called Flaming Qilin (불기린, 麒麟), which spewed flames like lava, appeared and slaughtered countless people."
So Yerin added as if to chime in.
"Flaming Qilin? Was it also caught?"
"I don't know. I also searched through various records of the imperial palace, but there was no record of Flaming Qilin being caught or killed because it disappeared halfway. Anyway, too many people died because of the day of the Great Calamity. You understand why the boundary between the old martial world and the current martial world was created, right?"
At her words, Mok Gyeong-un stated his guess.
"Is it a matter of transmission?"
"Yes. That's right. As the disciples and masters of each sect all died, their lineages were completely cut off. Even those who could transmit teachings through whispers were gone, so the basic system of martial arts collapsed."
"As the Young Miss said, because of that, the level of the martial world regressed incomparably to the past, with the day of the Great Calamity as the turning point. Although it seems to have recovered quite a bit while I was imprisoned here in the underground golden prison."
Dam Baek-ha clicked her tongue and said.
She was the only one who had directly experienced the old martial world and the turning point after that day.
As a result, she trembled even more as she recalled that day.
To her, Mok Gyeong-un stroked his chin and said,
"Strange. Monsters and spiritual creatures that you might see once in a lifetime suddenly appeared in various parts of the Central Plains on the same day and carried out a massacre… It's indeed worthy of being called a Great Calamity, but something…"
"It's strange, right?"
So Yerin interjected.
At this, Mok Gyeong-un nodded.
After reading various divination books, including the Classic of Mountains and Seas, Mok Gyeong-un had learned quite a bit about monsters.
Among the monsters he learned about, with the exception of a very few, there were virtually none that exhibited group behavior like humans or beasts.
However, it was incomprehensible that such monsters and spiritual creatures seemingly united in purpose and revealed themselves to the world, causing such a Great Calamity.
"As if…"
"It seems intentional, right?"
"…That's right. The so-called spiritual creatures are known not to have group behavior. Moreover, I heard they don't even leave their designated territories."
"Spiritual creatures? You even know about that… Ah!"
So Yerin, who had been puzzled by Mok Gyeong-un's words, suddenly recalled the earlier event.
It was the strange smoke door Mok Gyeong-un had created.
In any case, this man seemed to be proficient not only in martial arts but also in bizarre and miraculous divination arts.
At this, So Yerin said as if it was fortunate,
"Rather, Young Master Mok, you might be more of an expert in this field than us."
"I only learned the basics."
"Your skill in divination arts is not something to be dismissed as just the basics. Anyway, I had something I wanted to ask if there was someone knowledgeable about monsters."
At her words, Mok Gyeong-un shrugged.
"I don't know if I can provide an answer that would be of much help."
"I'm just asking."
"What is it?"
At Mok Gyeong-un's question, So Yerin opened her mouth with a meaningful look.
"Young Master. Can those spiritual creatures called monsters and spiritual beings be artificially controlled to carry out a massacre?"
"…Artificially controlled?"
"Yes."
At her question, Mok Gyeong-un's eyes narrowed.
Artificially controlling the spiritual creatures, the so-called monsters, ultimately meant this.
'Familiars.'
Familiars were the connection that allowed these beings to be commanded.
The stronger the self-awareness, the more difficult it becomes to command them, but occasionally, among diviner masters with outstanding curse power or divination arts skills, there were those who used monsters as familiars.
Of course, the higher the level, the stronger the monster's self-awareness becomes, making it more difficult to use as a familiar.
"If we only consider the concept of commanding, it's not impossible."
"It's not impossible?"
"Yes. If we only consider the concept."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Commanding is possible, but I don't know if it's possible to command so many monsters at the same time in such a way."
"?"
"To use a monster as a familiar, the curse power of the connected diviner master, the sorcerer, must reach a certain level. The greater the curse power or strong mental strength, the higher-level monster one can subdue, but I know that usually, it's difficult to subdue even one monster as a familiar. Because in the first place, a connection is no different from a soul being linked to another soul."
"That means?"
"Considering this, it can be seen as virtually impossible to artificially command the numerous monsters that appeared in various parts of the Central Plains."
"Ah…"
A sigh escaped So Yerin's mouth at the conclusion Mok Gyeong-un reached.
She seemed to have a sense of disappointment, as if the answer was different from what she had expected.
To her, Mok Gyeong-un raised his index finger and said,
"Well, even so, as Officer So said, the feeling of artificiality cannot be erased."
"But you said it can't be controlled, Young Master."
"Control and creating a situation are different."
"What do you mean by creating a situation?"
"Even if they can't be controlled one by one, creating conditions that stimulate the monsters and making them go on a rampage seems to be a separate issue."
Mok Gyeong-un had already seen it at the Blood Cave Valley of the Heaven and Earth Society.
Although not commanding as familiars, he had seen them manipulate monsters through conditions.
It was none other than the Monstrous Beast Gal-jeo.
Originally, when the Gal-jeo, which inhabits the North Sea near Mount Bukho, was released into the mountains of the Blood Cave Valley, it rampaged and harmed numerous disciples.
"Then is there a possibility?"
"If we consider it in that direction, there is a slight possibility. Moreover, since you said it occurred almost simultaneously, even more so. However…"
"However what?"
"To make all sorts of monsters in the Central Plains go on a rampage to the extent of encompassing the entire region, diviner masters or tremendous manpower knowledgeable in divination arts and monsters would be needed, but considering that no clues have been discovered even after the Great Calamity occurred until now, this is also extremely slim…"
"Could this be a clue?"
At that moment, So Yerin interrupted Mok Gyeong-un's words.
At this, Mok Gyeong-un asked with a puzzled expression,
"Clue?"
"Yes. My father found a clue."
With those words, So Yerin untied her golden belt and very carefully detached something attached to the inside.
It was an extremely old piece of paper with traces of being burned in various places.
She handed it to Mok Gyeong-un.
"This is?"
"It's heavily damaged, but try unfolding it first."
At her words, Mok Gyeong-un carefully unfolded the paper that seemed like it would crumble.
As he unfolded it, a gleam flashed in Mok Gyeong-un's eyes.
That's because in the burned part, there was something that looked like a red pattern drawn, and below it was
急急如... (Geup-geup-yeo…)
The latter part was burned off.
'…Incantation.'
With the beginning missing and only "geup-geup-yeo" remaining, and the pattern being only a small part of the whole, it was impossible to know what divination art they were trying to use.
However, this was definitely an incantation for divination art.
"How did you find this?"
"I don't know exactly since my father found it. But the place he found it was here in the imperial capital Kaifeng."
"The imperial capital?"
"Yes. My father said he had been searching for clues and found someone who had a clue related to the day of the Great Calamity."
"Is this that clue?"
"Yes."
"I see. This definitely seems to be a divination art, but most of the text is burned off, so I can't know exactly what it is. Do you have anything you heard related to this?"
"No. It seems my father heard something from the person who gave him the clue. That's why he said he was going to consult a diviner master in Kaifeng."
"Ah. He probably did that because there are traces of a divination technique, even if only a little."
"Yes, but…"
"But?"
"On the night my father went to find the famous diviner master in Kaifeng, he was murdered."
'!?'
"How could such a thing happen!"
-Clench!
At her words, Blood Demon Dam Baek-ha couldn't contain her anger.
It was anger at the fact that none other than the survivor of the Matchless Clan and another descendant of that person had lost his life in such a futile way.
Staring intently at So Yerin, whose eyes had reddened as if recalling that day, Mok Gyeong-un spoke in a dry voice,
"Did you find that diviner master?"
"…No. I couldn't find him. After my father was murdered, I went to searchin that place, but there was no one. Even all the diviner masters said to be in Kaifeng had disappeared overnight."
"All the diviner masters disappeared?"
"Yes."
"Hmm."
It was truly coincidental.
Mok Gyeong-un looked at the burned and damaged paper called a clue.
Then he asked,
"What happened to the person who gave this clue?"
"…Couldn't find him."
"What?"
"At that time, only my father had met the person who gave the clue. Since he only knew that the person was in the imperial capital…"
"So you've been searching until now?"
"That's right."
That was the very reason Six Offices Commander So Yerin became an Embroidered Uniform Guard.
If she became an Embroidered Uniform Guard, she could access the information of all residents in the imperial capital and Kaifeng and also have investigative authority, so it was a measure she had devised.
In her own way, she was making every effort to find clues.
'Is this all?'
However, judging that this alone was not much of a clue, Mok Gyeong-un seemed to have lost interest and tried to fold the clue paper So Yerin had given him.
As he folded the paper once and then twice,
'!?'
Suddenly, Mok Gyeong-un stopped folding.
There was something he hadn't seen when he unfolded the paper because a part was covered.
It was another thing engraved on the back of the damaged paper.
It was none other than,
'A symbol?'
A symbol of a single line vertically penetrating the center of the character two (二).